SUN, SUN, SUN, HERE IT COMES

By Ella Tyler

Even if the Houston area’s winter weather has been benevolent compared to the weather in other places, it has been chilly and wet too long for most of us. However, sun and warmer temperatures are in our forecast, so skip the Presidents’ Day sales and go outside and play.

Lee Anne Wilde, of the Galveston Bay Foundation, suggests, “If low tides and a norther don’t keep you in your slip, February is great time to sail – without burning to a crisp or being eaten by mosquitoes.”

To the surprise of many, there are plenty of waterways nearby that are good for canoeing. Mary Ellen Whitworth, of the Bayou Preservation Association, says that more than 25 bayous in the area have navigable sections. The Houston Canoe Club was organized in 1964 and now coordinates about 50 ‘floats’ a year.

If being a passenger is more to your taste, take a pontoon boat cruise down Armand Bayou. Armand Bayou Nature Center offers morning and evening boat tours every Saturday. The trips last about 90 minutes and cost $20 for adults.

Paddle boating is a popular activity at McGovern Lake at Hermann Park. The list, 101 Things to in Hermann Park, complied by the Hermann Park Conservancy, includes activities such as joining the drum circle on Friday evening, taking tai chi on Tuesday or Thursday morning, and rolling down the hill at Miller Outdoor Theatre. And, of course, the train still runs through the park.

The zoo’s Brian Hill offers, “You could chill out at the Houston Zoo and save cold hard cash by taking advantage of the zoo’s February on-line discount offer.” Go to the Zoo’s website, print the coupon, and present it for $2 off an adult admission every day in February.

Hill suggests, “Before you go, check out the list of daily events on the zoo website. Many animals are more active in cooler weather. If it gets too chilly outside, duck into the tropical bird house and see the new arrivals – two giant elephant-shrews, Panya and Kidogo. The Houston Zoo is one of only 6 zoos in the U.S. exhibiting the species.”

Houston has moved down from fifth to sixth on the list of fattest cities in the country in Men’s Fitness magazine’s 2007 health survey. Las Vegas is now first. The report considers data about how much city residents exercise, how healthily they eat, and how much time they spend sitting in traffic. The magazine also looks at programs designed to get citizens up and moving, and at civic leadership.

One leader in getting people up and moving is the Energy Corridor Management District in west Houston. It works with other organizations to develop park and green space areas. A new hike and bike trail built by Harris County Precinct will connect 20 miles of trails in the area.

Little Thicket Nature Sanctuary, owned by the Outdoor Nature Club, is open to visitors this weekend. The sanctuary is off SH 150 and FM 945 between New Waverly and Cleveland. For directions, call Aaron Stoley at (713) 781-1372.

Houston’s newest city park, Lake Houston Park, is in that area also, at 22031 Baptist Encampment Rd. in New Caney.

If you want to see nature in the middle of Houston, check out the Houston Arboretum and Nature Center at 4501 Woodway. Nature tours are offered every Saturday afternoon at 2 and 3. Memorial Park’s new Playground Without Limits, in front of the St. Theresa’s Church, is a favorite spot for people watching.

Birding is popular your-round. Vanessa Mintzer, of the Galveston Bay Foundation, suggests checking out the Bolivar Flats Shorebird Sanctuary, a reliable four-season wildlife viewing area, managed by the Houston Audubon Society. She says The Great Texas Coastal Birding Trail Maps will guide you to the coast’s top birding sites.

The Great Back Yard Bird Count, hosted by the Audubon Society and the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, is this weekend. Count birds for as little or as long as you wish and report the results online.

There is a complete list of parks in Harris County on the Park People’s website.

Our website has links to the groups mentioned above.

Environmental activists spend a lot of time worrying about saving the environment, but sometimes we forget to just enjoy it.